Raja's professional traits

app_engine wrote:This speech also confirms another "theory" of mine

That is, to "inspire" IR to get a great song, all one needs is to tell the name of a "indhi" song

My theory is based on some of the awesome songs that IR composed for "remake" movies, almost like telling the team as well as public this way " Hey, I am competing with the original and will match or exceed it, personal challenge to me"

Some samples here and it should have been a simple technique for a director to "motivate" IR

bhool gayA sab kuch (julie) - rOjA onRu uLLangaiyil pooththadhu (O mAnE mAnE)

jawAni jAnE man (namak halAl)  - enakkuththA (vElaikkAran)

yEh dil diwAnA hai (ishq par zOr nahin) - inji iduppazhagi (thEvar magan)

mehboobA (sholay) - AttamA thErOttamA (captain prabAkaran)

To add more about IR's approach on "Remake" movies.. He was very firm about not using the tunes of the original film.. This was one of the reasons that he had differences with "Remake" producers like K.Balaji and Devar Films.  He worked with K.Balaji initially for 3 films Deepam, Thyagam and Nallathoru Kudumbam.  All were remakes.  And so early in his career.. He was firm about not using the original films' tunes.  He came out with original compositions.. And the songs like Poovizhi Vaasalil, Anthapurathil, Nallavarkku Ellam, Vasantha Kaala, Then Malli Poove, Sinthunathi Karai, etc were classics.  However Balaji did not work after this with IR.

Another astonishing fact is that.. The original movie score was by IR.. When the same film was remade in another language, IR composed new tunes to suit that language and state..

Few Examples:

Friends (Malayalam) was remade in Tamil (again with same name).  All 7 songs were new tunes in Tamil...!
Kaasi (Tamil) was remade in Kannada (Preethiya Raamu).  Though all songs in Tamil were super hits.. He composed 3 new songs for Kannada..!
Same is the case with Rudra Veena (Telugu) which was remade in Tamil (Unnal Mudiyum Thambi)..
Who can forget Moondram Pirai... 3 new tunes were composed for Sadma.. Also, the complete orchestration for Kanne Kalaimane and Ponmeni was changed to suit the north audience..!
I do not think that there is any composer who does this.. Challenging himself and not taking the easier route...

Around 19 minutes, Dir Ganesan talks about IR's support for Pokalathil oru poo.  Shows how he encourages emerging directors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvuEfLBpObk